NEW YORK -- In Europe, kids under the age of 12 will no longer see advertisements for soft drinks while attending school. According to AdAge.com, soft drink manufacturers have agreed to new restrictions limiting the sale of their products in schools and ending their marketing practices to kids.

The pledge comes as soft drink makers try to avoid European Union (EU) legislation, writes the news source, noting that last year the EU warned marketers “to develop self-regulatory measures to stop advertising junk food and help combat obesity or face tough new laws.” 

According to Stefan Loeke, managing director of the Brussels-based World Federation of Advertisers, the agreement could have implications for the United States.

“Regulators are looking to each other to see what approaches are being considered,” he  told the news source, adding the United States is taking part in a May event in Brussels to discuss childhood obesity.

Last week the Union of European Beverage Associations (UNESDA) presented its agreement to the EU, which says that its members will not market to children under the age of 12 and will restrict vending machines in primary schools, as well as the product choices in secondary schools. Members of UNESDA include Coca-Cola Co., PepsiCo, Cadbury Schweppes European Beverages and Unilever.